Werner Herzog's Tumultuous Relationship With Klaus Kinski | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend

famously it's been much discussed but. it's so riveting you had this work. Dynamic uh with the actor Claus kinsky. and there's something in it that I. understand I understand because uh I've. I've watched all the films I've watched. the documentaries about the making of. the films I've seen him completely lose. control uh I've seen in in real. time uh people who are working on the. film plotting to kill kinsky uh kinsky.

plotting to and threatening to kill you. you plotting to kinsky and I I swear to. you that what I'm saying is true right. now I've worked in comedy for you know. 40 years and for 30 of those years I. worked many times out in the field. making comedy under duress in strange. conditions and I've wanted to kill. people that I've worked with one of. them's here oh uh. no but I've I but I've I've been I've.

gotten to an altered state at times I've. been hungry and cold and we've needed to. get this shot and a lot of what I do is. uh somewhat improvisational and I need. to improvise something and make. something happen yeah and I've you have. to deliver I I have to deliver something. and I do think there are times when I've. gone I've I've kind of I've gone to. another state uh and I'm thinking. specifically of an episode I did where. we were shooting in Italy and it was.

late in the day and we were exhausted. and suddenly we had to shoot a thing. where we're hunting for Truffles and I. just I started to I started to lose it. and I think I lost my mind during the. Truffle hunt and started hopping around. like a rabbit now anyone watching it. might. think uh I don't know what's happening. with Conan or maybe he's just doing this. because he thinks it's funny no I really. did lose lose it and have this kind of. Madness but I also understand I'm kind. of in love with it I there's there's a.

part of me that is attracted to it and. of course what you were doing multiply. that by a thousand your work with kinsky. but when you say afterwards no we were. brothers you to most people that would. seem impossible that this man could be. screaming at you and abusing you and you. screaming back at him but no I. understand it I understand how you can. go through that with someone but also. cherish that bond does. that it's hard to describe it and in my.

book I describe quite a bit of about it. um number one there is a side to all. this which is. hilarious uh number two I've never lost. it I cannot remember that I ever lost it. I've always been the calmest of calm in. such situations don't it he would scream. at the at the native uh people in the in. the rainforest and they would huddle sit. down because they they solved their.

conflicts very quietly whispering in. Whispering. voices and they came afterwards to me. and one of their Chiefs said to me you. know. um we were afraid but don't you believe. we were afraid of this screaming. madman they were afraid of me because I. was so quiet ah okay and I I really. meant business and in in moments of real. confrontation kinsky understood when I.

explained to him things very very calmly. this is impermissible this cannot be. done what you are trying there's a task. that is beyond the two of us we have to. stick to it or. else and he would know that this or else. would mean he would be a dead man within. 30 seconds. flat I didn't have to spell it. out you just did though yeah that's.

[Laughter]. incredible that's good you're doing it. now you're doing it now let's no let's. let's put it let's put it simply yeah um. you have to you have to have it in you. to U stop at a certain moment and and to. understand yes you do not do this you're. not going to kill each other it's a. beautiful script yes which is outside of. the movie and uh the script is not going.

to happen otherwise you end up on death. row and I have made nine films on death. row and I know that every single one on. death row that I met men and women were. only a step away from what I am or what. almost all of us are yeah that's true. very human human. beings it's interesting because there's. this new movement that's been discussed. lately and it was written about the. other day I think in the New York York. Times which said if you when dealing.

with someone who's out of control or. psychotic they say become a gray rock. become Bland and very very sort of. almost disinterested and they say it's. the best way to treat them so had you. screamed back at kinsky no and and and. entertained and tried to meet him scream. for scream the whole thing would have. blown up by staying yeah almost inert as. you did no we had a plane crash.

and only garbled messages in our camp we. didn't know exactly where was it how. many people can we was this a plane that. was coming to this film shoot toour film. uh toour Set uh transporting extras and. um I tried to make sense what it what it. was in kinsky at that morning we served. uh coffee uh in all the huts and his he. was the last one because we altered the. the line of who would be first or last.

his coffee was lukewarm he he just lost. it over it and he kept yelling and. screaming for an hour and a half foam at. his mouth I mean literally I'm not. exaggerating screaming at the top of his. lung that close to my face that close. and I try to explain close there's a. plane down we need to understand what. the radio the garbled radio is trans. mitting to us so and finally I couldn't.

get rid of him I went to my Hut I had. one little piece of chocolate very good. chocolate left and I stood right in his. face and ate the chocolate that was too. much for him because chocolate was the. most valuable item in the camp yes and I. ate my last piece of chocolate and he he. just fell silent and through yeah yes. it's like you you can't you shut down. the computer it just went to the it went.

to the app logo there's nothing he could. do at that. moment.